Govt orders contractors to resume works

GOVERNMENT has directed all contractors to resume work on projects that were halted due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development (MHID) Permanent Secretary, Charles Mushota said the ministry has started sending technocrats to all provinces to ensure that works resumed.

Mr Mushota said in an interview that the ministry was engaging all contractors to ensure they resumed works immediately.

“This follows the directive from State House that works that were halted due to the Coronavirus outbreak should resume,” Mr Mushota said.

He said the ministry would work with the Ministry of Health to ensure that all workers in the construction industry adhered to health regulations as they worked under the new normal arrangement.

Mr Mushota said the Covid-19 pandemic had negatively affected progress on construction of many projects and that by working in line with the new normal, there was need to catch up on the work.

Recently, Special Assistant to the President for Projects and Implementation, Andrew Chellah, while in Choma inspecting various infrastructure projects, ordered the resumption of construction works that were halted due to the pandemic outbreak.

Mr Chellah said contractors should adhere to health regulations as they work under the new normal arrangement.

He said developmental projects would not be allowed to suffer because of the Covid-19.

Mr Chellah said it was sad that some contractors abandoned construction sites even before the outbreak of the Covid-19.